Weekly Times | MORE than one in five senior country games played at the weekend were decided by 100 points or more.
Forty-seven senior football matches from across the state were decided by a triple-figure margin from 218 games across 45 senior competitions — including several competitions that straddle state borders.
The blowouts were in 30 different leagues, both major and district. In one case a side did not register a score and in one league half the matches were decided by more than 200 points.
It was against this backdrop that two more players reached their 100th season goal on Saturday, while Lindenow South’s Haydn Erfurth came within two of the milestone after booting 23 goals on Saturday in the Omeo and District league.
All three of that league’s senior matches were decided by more than 100 points; Bruthen won by 192 points, Lindenow South by 184 points, and Buchan by 141 points.
Dalyston’s Michael Kraska and Merrivale’s Jet Dowie kicked 10 goals each in the Alberton and Warrnambool and District leagues, respectively, to reach the goalkicking ton.
The Warrnambool and District league was one of the most lopsided competitions at the weekend, with three of its six senior matches decided by margins exceeding 200 points.
Allansford beat Deakin University Sharks by 205 points, Merrivale defeated East Warrnambool by 270 points, and Kolora-Noorat downed Russell’s Creek by 233 points.
There were five matches across all 45 competitions decided by more than 200 points, and the biggest margin was in the Mininera and District Football League, where Lismore Derrinallum demolished Ararat Eagles by 295 points — with the Eagles not scoring.
AFL Western District region general manager Lachy Patterson said the one-sided results were “very concerning”, but that the problem was not limited to his region.
He said he felt concern watching Country Footy Scores every Saturday night and said these results were a major factor behind the development of the club sustainability framework by AFL Victoria.
“The feedback from our region has been really positive and I think a lot of that feedback has been based on the fact there are some people out there that have seen enough of the one-sided scores,” Patterson said.
“I think though we have to be realistic, and I’ve said this to everyone through all our feedback, they can’t expect it just to be a silver bullet and in the first year have immediate effect ... and clubs need to work really hard in order to achieve sustained success.”
AFL Victoria did not wish to comment on the weekend’s margins, which were not unique. Analysis of the weekends of June 19-21 and May 15-17 found 19 and 20 per cent, respectively, of matches were decided by triple-figure gaps.